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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · deal · plane · toast · vault · nail · game · swing

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. vault — a safe
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. swing — in golf
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — to play on
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. deal — to handle
  14. swing — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. toast — bread
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com